


Heartstealers Can Get Jealous, Too

by anubislover



Series: Allies With Benefits [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Mild Gore, Minor Violence, Mugiwara no Ichimi | Straw Hat Pirates, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Trafalgar D. Water Law, Post-Dressrosa, Protectiveness, Sharing Clothes, Tsundere Trafalgar D. Water Law, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 06:58:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18935764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anubislover/pseuds/anubislover
Summary: Or: Five Times Law Got Into A Figurative Dick-Measuring Contest Over Nami





	1. Back Scratches

“Nami-swan~” Sanji sang out, pirouetting with joy as the navigator returned to the ship, arms full of navigational books and equipment. She’d been on the Heart Pirates’ submarine for the past few days; she’d made a deal with Law where she’d help Bepo improve his cartography skills in return for letting her gather data on underwater currents with their equipment. Unfortunately, that meant that Sanji had spent the past few days in a foul mood, screaming about how “those shitty bastards had better not take advantage of her” and anxiously waiting for the yellow submarine to surface and return the beautiful redhead. “Welcome back! Did you pine for me? Would you like some sandwiches of love for breakfast? Perhaps some fresh-squeezed juice?”

“Thanks, Sanji-kun,” she replied, nodding gratefully as Law used his powers to teleport her things into the library. Her voice was gravelly and strained, causing Chopper to frown with concern.

“You don’t sound so great. Did you get laryngitis?”

Faint shadows under her eyes caught Sanji’s attention. “You look exhausted, Nami-swan. Those shitty Heart Pirates didn’t do anything untoward, did they? If anyone’s dared try to corrupt your delicate purity, I’ll kill them!”

A faint blush dusted her cheeks as she caught Law smirking out of the corner of her eye. “I’m fine. I was just up late last night. Bepo’s really improved at cartography, though, so it’s worth it.”

Sighing, the blonde cook fawned over her. “You’re such a beautiful soul, Nami-swan, helping the shitty captain and his shitty bear with their maps.”

Law glowered at the insult to his navigator. “Bepo’s maps are fine if you ask me.”

“Such dedication to trying to teach their feeble minds! No wonder you sound so hoarse; you’ve probably been screaming with frustration for days!”

“Oh, she’s been screaming with something, all right,” the Heart captain said lowly, smirk growing when Nami smacked his chest.

Sanji was too distracted fussing over Nami to register Law’s comment. “I’ll make you some mikan tea to soothe your throat.” He spared a glare at the taller man. “Shitty doctor! You should have been taking better care of her! How could you let Nami-swan strain her lovely voice?”

Gold eyes narrowed in response. “I took care of her just fine. It’s her own fault, anyway; I told her not to be so loud, but she doesn’t listen.”

“It was your fault I was screaming, Tora-o-kun!” the navigator croaked, provoking another devilish grin from the captain.

“Oh, please don’t waste any more of your lovely voice on him, Nami-swan. I’ll happily wait on you hand and foot so you can recover. That shitty surgeon doesn’t understand that such a delicate, perfect flower like yourself should be pampered and protected, not constantly annoyed.”

“Nami-ya’s far from delicate,” Law snorted, “and I’m not the one annoying her with empty flattery and constant hovering. She’s a big girl who can take care of herself.”

That earned a small smile from the cat thief, but Sanji sneered, “Ha! A creepy bastard like you wouldn’t understand the first thing about a woman like her. Let me tell you if I find so much as a mark on her—”

“Oh, please, finish that threat. I’ve been looking for a new specimen to dissect.”

“Both of you, stop!” Nami growled. “Law, no cutting up my _nakama_. Sanji-kun,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes, “would you make me that tea, please? And perhaps some mikan shaved ice?”

“Of course~” the blonde cook practically sang enthusiastically, hearts filling the air at her cute expression. “My precious Nami-swan may have whatever she wants!”

“Yours?” Law snarled, though Nami quickly shushed him.

Beyond irritated at the love-cook’s insults, constant fawning, and general disregard for his (admittedly secret) relationship with the orange-haired woman, the dark doctor clenched his fists to stave off the urge to kill something. Mild pain blossomed where his nails dug into the skin of his palms, and a wicked smirk came to his face.

Spotting the green-haired swordsman lazily watching the commotion, he called out, “Zoro-ya, come spar with me.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue at the prospect of taking on the deadly doctor. He’d been wanting to see how he’d fare against the devil-fruit user for a while, especially since his nodachi was a cursed sword. “’Suppose I could use a morning workout.”

“Give me a minute to stretch, first; I had a hell of a night, and unlike Black Leg-ya, I don’t have the ability to turn into a spineless noodle when a pretty woman’s around.”

Sanji took a moment to glare at the Surgeon of Death, but froze in place, jaw on the floor, when he saw Law pull off his shirt. It wasn’t the fact that he was stripping that was shocking, though; it was the bright red scratches that completely littered his back.

Chopper gasped while Zoro whistled in appreciation. “What happened to you?!”

Law gave Nami a meaningful look, smirking as her face went bright red. “Ah, these? I spent last night getting clawed at by a screaming wildcat.”

Horror crept across Sanji’s face as he slowly connected the dots. Zoro was a bit quicker on the uptake and, never one to pass up the chance to mock his rival or tease the witch that tortured him with debt, gave Law a knowing grin. “Looks painful. Did you tame her at least?”

Winking at the mortified redhead, he rolled his shoulders deliberately, saying more to the cook than the swordsman, “Oh yeah. The key is to not go easy and treat her like some delicate flower, otherwise, she’ll eat a man alive.”

“Wow! She sounds dangerous,” Chopper said in amazement, eyes wide in innocent admiration.

“Oh, she is, but once I showed her who’s boss, she was purring in my arms the rest of the night.”

At that, Sanji erupted into flames, charging towards Law with a scream of “Shitty captain! I’ll bash your creepy face in!”

Zoro was too busy laughing at Nami’s humiliation to care that he wouldn’t get that long-awaited spar with Law, who was preoccupied with dodging Sanji’s frenzied kicks. Chopper, meanwhile, just looked around confused.

“Is Sanji really that jealous Law got a pet cat?”


	2. Cold

Nami would never admit it, but she was starting to think Law was right when he’d told her she needed to buy more sweaters. She’d thought he was just being jealous, what with the number of men that typically stared at her bikini-clad chest, but now that she was on a winter island, not even her wool coat felt warm enough.

Unfortunately, just because she’d never admit it didn’t mean Law wouldn’t gloat at her obvious discomfort.

“I told you none of your clothes would be warm enough,” he sighed, watching her shiver out of the corner of his eye.

The glare she gave him was colder than the ice they were walking on. “Oh, shut up, Tora-o-kun! You know I run hotter than most! I boil in sweaters.”

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t own at least a few. Or maybe you should have stayed back on your ship.”

“Hell no! I was told there’d be treasure, and I’m getting my share!”

“Consider spending some of it on warmer clothes, then. Maybe something that covers the whole torso.”

“Or maybe a certain captain could have loaned me one of his hoodies before we set out!”

Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo walked quietly in front of the bickering couple, each wishing they could sink into the ice to escape this awkward situation. While they didn’t disagree with Law that Nami was a bit underdressed, wearing just the coat over a rather thin, crop-top sweater, he’d been the one who suggested she come with them in the first place. They all knew it was just a ploy to spend more time with the fiery navigator, but their captain wasn’t exactly doing himself any favors picking a fight with her.

They were just grateful this was arguing, and not the screaming that sometimes echoed through the submarine on the nights she stayed over. While the whole crew appreciated Law’s good mood the morning after, they all just wanted the two to admit they were seeing each other so they didn’t have to keep coming up with increasingly implausible excuses to “run into” the Straw Hats or pretend the Nami wasn’t sporting some pretty impressive hickeys after each encounter.

Shachi was considering giving her his coat, regardless of his own comfort or the captain’s wrath, when Bepo let out a surprised yelp. Turning, he found the beautiful cartographer had wrapped her arms around the polar bear’s neck, snuggling into his thick fur.

Bepo, for his part, instinctively wrapped his arms around her tiny waist to give her extra support and warmth, as her feet couldn’t even touch the snowy ground with the way she hung off of him.

“Ahhh, I knew you were my favorite member of this crew,” she sighed happily, basking in the sudden warmth. Now she understood why Law so frequently used him as a pillow; he was as soft as Chopper in his reindeer form!

“Nami-ya, get off him,” Law growled from behind her.

“No! I’m freezing my gorgeous ass off, and Bepo’s nice and cozy,” she argued. “He can carry me on his back until we get to the treasure; it’ll be easier, anyway, since we can both look at the map instead of passing it between us.”

“If he carries you, your combined weight could break the ice.”

“He’s a 700lb bear! My weight’s hardly going to cause a dent. Or are you calling me fat?!”

“You know I’m not! We just don’t need both our navigators plunging to a freezing, watery death! It’s not like I can dive in to rescue you.”

“But Captain, if the ice starts cracking, you can easily teleport them to safety, right?” Penguin asked, flinching under the Surgeon of Death’s glare. Apparently, Law didn’t want reassurance; he wanted to be right.

“See?” Nami said smugly. “So, unless Bepo has any objections, I’m staying right here.”

Anxiously, the polar bear looked between the woman snuggling into his fur and his fuming captain. He personally had no issue carrying Nami; she was quite light, and she was always nice to him, so he didn’t mind doing her a favor. But Law was clearly against it, and he really didn’t want to be in the middle of an argument.

“I’m sorry,” he said sadly.

“Don’t apologize,” Nami insisted, patting his head fondly. “Tora-o-kun’s the one who’s being a jerk.”

“I’m not being a jerk! Now get off my bear!”

“No! He’s warm and comfy and unless you want to explain to Chopper why you brought me back with hypothermia, I’m staying right here!”

The captain of the Heart Pirates wasn’t the type to pout, but he was damn close. Nothing was going according to his plans today. When he’d found that treasure map, he’d imagined it would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time alone with the beautiful cartographer. Her eyes had lit up when he showed her the aged parchment, and he’d even managed to haggle a reasonable share of the gold from her in between fevered kisses. Luffy and the rest of the crew had been sent off on some random errand he’d cleverly worded to sound like an adventure, with a knowing look from Robin promising that she’d keep everyone out of his way.

Unfortunately, upon closer inspection to the map, Nami had pointed out that the cave the loot was supposedly hidden in was actually an old seastone mine, so he wouldn’t be able to just teleport it all back to their ships like he’d thought. That meant they’d need manpower, and since there was no way he trusted her crew not to infringe on their precious time together, he’d recruited his own men with the understanding that they wouldn’t see a damn cent if they did anything to get between him and the woman.

Now she was clinging to his (admittedly quite huggable) navigator instead of cuddling up to him for warmth. It wasn’t fair. She already spent enough time with the bear, insisting on helping him improve his mapmaking skills, and even if Bepo was one of his closest friends, there was no way in hell he was letting him monopolize another second of her time.

With a growl, Law instantly activated his Room, switching Nami out with Kikoku so she was tucked in his arms. Without a word, he pulled her against his chest, wrapping his coat around them both. “There. Now you’ll be warm and I don’t have to worry about the ice breaking,” he grumbled.

Nami wanted to blame the cold for the way her cheeks glowed pink. He didn’t radiate heat like Bepo, but the extra insulation from his coat was certainly cozy, and his arms around her never failed to make her feel safe. Still, the way he was holding her was dangerously close to a public display of affection, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “This is way worse! We’ll lose valuable time tripping over each other.”

The dark doctor seemed to think about it for a moment before hoisting her up, chuckling at her shriek as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. “There. Just keep your legs like that,” he murmured in her ear. “It shouldn’t be a problem; you’ve had plenty of practice.”

The slap to the back at his head echoed across the ice, but she didn’t argue further, settling into his embrace.

Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin decided to just keep walking and ignore the couple behind them, because it was clear from the evil gleam in their captain’s eye that he was going to get her back for that.

With a shared, silent look, the trio agreed to conveniently get lost inside the mines and ignore any screaming they might hear from the woman. They’d gotten good at that, anyway.


	3. Hats

At first, no one could figure out what was going on.

Oh, the crew was perfectly familiar with Nami wearing Luffy’s treasured hat; their captain occasionally entrusted her with it on windy days when he wanted to swing around the mast, or during particularly intense battles where the delicate straw might get damaged. Sometimes, even when there was no danger in sight, it could still be found atop her mikan locks as a silent show of how much he valued her. So, when he plopped it on her head one night during a party with the Heart Pirates, no one batted an eye.

No, what raised eyebrows was Law’s response.

It was that same night. She coaxed him and a few others to join her in a game of strip poker. Nami was damn good at the game, but Law was holding his own while Jean-Bart and Brook were already down to their skivvies. Still, she’d managed to get a winning hand against the Heart Captain, and he rewarded her by replacing Luffy’s hat with his own.

“ _Shishishi_! Looks good on you, Nami!” Luffy said from his perch atop the bar. He was pleased to see his new friend and his _nakama_ getting along so well after their rocky start. She spent a lot of time with the Heart crew as of late, especially Law. He’d been worried for a while, what with the tension that had been between them, but it was now clear that the surgeon had developed some affection for the navigator, and in turn had earned her much-coveted trust.

Law’s eyes lit up with mischief as he smirked at his fellow Supernova, tossing over the wide-brimmed hat. It had been driving him crazy all night, seeing his good-natured rival’s trademark atop his woman. At this point, it was an open secret that the Cat Thief and the Surgeon of Death were sleeping together, even if they weren’t public about it. The flirty banter at times like these was proof enough to the more astute members of the two crews. “That it does. Much better in mine than yours, eh?”

“Maybe you should join the Heart Pirates, Nami!” Shachi joked, clearly a tipsy from drinking with Zoro. “I’m sure Law would trade Bepo for you!”

“Hey!” the bear said anxiously, glancing between the two captains.

“Why trade when I could have both?” the dark doctor chuckled, giving his navigator a reassuring smile.

“Don’t you think I should have a say in this?” Nami groused, rolling her eyes.

Leaning forward, he gave a devilish flash of teeth. “I think you’d look damn good in my crew’s uniform.”

Before she could argue that those boiler suits weren’t cute at all, Luffy, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the exchange, piped in with a wide grin, “Nami would look terrible in your uniforms, Tora-o! And sure, she doesn’t look bad in your cap, but the navigator to the future Pirate King looks best while wearing a _straw hat_.” Long arms stretched out to embrace the woman, pulling her over to him, the rubber man chuckling as she protested being yanked around without warning.

The scowl the surgeon gave at his rival’s declaration did not go unnoticed by the rest of the room. “We’ll see about that,” he rasped.

After that, anytime the two crews ran into each other, Nami found herself in the middle of a figurative tug-of-war between captains. The second the yellow submarine surfaced beside the _Thousand Sunny,_ Luffy’s straw hat would be on her head. It never failed to make the Surgeon of Death scowl, and within an hour, the mikan-haired navigator would be sporting Law’s fuzzy white cap. If she spent the night with her lover, he wouldn’t let her leave the submarine unless she was wearing his trademark accessory in full view of her crew. Typically, though, Luffy would just laugh it off and switch it with his once she was back on her ship, giving Law a shit-eating grin.

It wasn’t long before the cartographer finally had enough.

“You two are so immature!” she snapped as Law snatched the wide-brimmed hat off her head, unceremoniously plopping his atop her orange locks. Earlier, Luffy had practically lassoed her with his elastic arm, twisting it around her until she had no choice but to let him adorn her with his straw treasure. Since then she’d been hiding in her mikan grove, hoping to avoid being part of this ridiculous display of one-upmanship while tending to her trees, but clearly, neither captain planned on letting her off the hook. “Really, this is the dumbest dick-measuring contest I’ve ever seen, and I live with Zoro and Sanji-kun!”

Her ally/not-boyfriend crossed his arms. “It is not. Maybe I just like seeing you in my hat.”

She rolled her eyes. “Or maybe you just _don’t_ like seeing me in Luffy’s.”

“It’s possible, but unlikely.”

“Just admit you’re jealous.”

“I’ll do no such thing because I’m not.”

Cocking her hip, she gave him a sultry grin. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I wore a straw hat it all the time. Like, maybe to bed?”

His low, threatening growl was all the answer she needed, and she turned back to picking her precious mikans. “It’s a hat, Tora-o-kun! Luffy’s always let me wear it because he knows I’ll keep it safe.”

“Or he’s staking some sort of claim.”

“Not everyone’s a possessive freak like you. More likely, this is just a game to him. A stupid, ridiculous game that you’re both stubbornly refusing to lose.”

Far from appreciative of her insults, Law leaned against one of the trees. “Well, if you’re so annoyed by it, why haven’t you told him to stop?”

“Oh, believe me, I will— _violently_ —but I figured you’d be the more reasonable one. Guess I was wrong.”

She heard him sigh as he approached, wrapping muscular, tattooed arms around her waist and resting his chin atop the fuzzy hat. “I think Mugiwara-ya has feelings for you,” he grudgingly admitted.

Nami actually laughed. “The only thing he feels for me is friendship. He’s a reckless dunce, but loyal and affectionate to the people he considers _nakama_.”

Ordinarily, he’d agree, but the conversation he’d had with the Straw Hat captain many months ago haunted him. “He’s protective of you.”

“You’re just as protective of your crew. After Zoro, I’ve known Luffy the longest; if either of us had been interested, don’t you think one of us would have made a move by now?”

“I still don’t like it.”

If this were coming from Sanji-kun or anyone else on her crew, Nami would have smacked him upside the head. But Law was different; he was stubborn and more childish than he’d ever admit, but she also knew it was difficult for him to admit he was feeling even slightly insecure. Instead, she craned her neck to kiss the underside of his jaw. “Well, I’m sure he didn’t like you talking about me joining your crew. You did threaten to kidnap me before, remember?”

Humming in consideration, his fingers absently stroked her sides. She had a point; after their first confrontation, Luffy had loaned her his hat as a silent promise that she was safe with him. Even if it was obvious that Law and Nami were involved, that didn’t mean her captain was wrong to be wary. Heck, maybe he was trying to show the navigator was under his protection, so Law had best not use her or break her heart. It was a fair concern; neither were particularly open with their feelings and hadn’t put a label on their relationship. Labels were tricky; the second you named something, it means you’re attached, which made it more painful when it was ripped away. Casual sex was easy, with no attachments or expectations.

However, the past few weeks had shown Law that he was in far deeper than he’d realized, otherwise something as simple as a hat wouldn’t bother him. “You know, we never really talked about us being exclusive,” he murmured, brushing his lips against the blue swirl on her shoulder.

“No, I guess we haven’t.”

“I haven’t been interested in sleeping with anyone but you.”

“Me neither.”

Unbidden, a tiny sigh of relief escaped his lips. “Then, I suppose this would be considered something of a monogamous relationship, right?”

Nami’s shoulders shook slightly with gentle laughter. “Are you just asking because you’re scared I’ll leave you for Luffy?” she teased.

“I’m asking because I figure we should establish what we are before I make any further assumptions.” He wasn’t quite ready to put a label on what they were, but this was a small step in the right direction. Pirates were naturally selfish, greedy, and possessive; of course he’d want such a gorgeous jewel to himself. If he couldn’t steal her away, the least he could do was ensure no one else would, either. Besides, it was smart to take things slow; Nami valued her freedom and likely wouldn’t want to be truly tied down just yet.

Twisting in his hold, the beautiful cartographer draped her arms around his shoulders, teasing the short hairs at the base of his neck. “We’re exclusive, but I reserve the right to flirt for the sake of stealing wallets.”

Tattooed hands played with the strings of her bikini top. “Fair. I reserve the right to pin you to a wall afterward and remind you why you’re my woman.”

Shivering in delight at the heat in his voice, she nodded, nimble fingers deftly unbuttoning his shirt. “I suppose I can live with that. You can be pretty sexy when you’re jealous.” She wrinkled her nose in thought. “Well, not always. Lately, it’s been a turn-off.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll stop replacing Mugiwara-ya’s hat with mine. You’re right—he probably just thinks I’ve been playing some stupid game.” Reaching down, his strong hands squeezed her bottom as he nipped her ear. “In the end, I’m the real winner, because I’m the one that gets to see you naked.”

Pink dusted her cheeks, both in arousal and slight embarrassment. “Well, there was that one time in the baths in Alabasta…” She snorted at his glare. “What? I charged him and all the other guys 100,000 belli each for peeking. You’ve been getting it for free!”

Groaning in irritation, Law summoned his room, teleporting them both into his sub so he could make good on his promise to remind the orange-haired vixen why she was his woman.

XXX

Two hours later, the pair returned to the ship, Law’s hat perched on his own head while the woman beside him now sported an oversized black and yellow hoodie, the Heart Pirates’ jolly roger grinning merrily across the front. The sleeves fell over her knuckles and the bottom hit just past mid-thigh; it was really more like a dress than a top on her, though it still hugged her chest enticingly.

Beaming at the sight of them, Luffy waved eagerly, straw hat back in its rightful place. “There you are! Where’s you two disappear to?” Head cocked to the side, he studied his navigator, the tiniest of frowns tugging the corners of his lips. “You weren’t wearing that earlier.”

The surgeon smirked down at his lover who was rolling her eyes in exasperation. “Oh, her top got a little ripped, so I loaned her my hoodie. Is that a problem, Mugiwara-ya?” he asked, eyebrow raised in challenge. “After all, I’d hate to return my woman to you naked.”

Silent, Luffy stared at them for a moment before breaking out in a huge, goofy grin. “Nope! It sure was nice of you to do that, Tora-o! See, I knew you were a good guy.”

“Yes, he’s an absolute saint,” the cartographer said dryly. “I’m going to go change. If Sanji-kun sees me, he’ll be too busy crying or trying to kick your ass to make dinner.” Aggressively, she poked her lover’s chest. “And don’t think loaning me this means you don’t owe me a new top! Next island we land on, you’re taking me shopping.”

“But you look so cute in my clothes,” Law chuckled, gold eyes hooded and inviting. She really did look damn good; if he ever did kidnap her, she definitely wouldn’t be wearing his crew’s boiler suits.

“I don’t care! It’s way too hot for long sleeves.”

“If you want, you can borrow my shirt, Nami,” her captain offered, already starting to shrug off his perpetually unbuttoned red vest. There was no way he was going to let something as stupid as Law’s hoodie keep Sanji from making dinner!

Scowling, Law fought the urge to throttle his ally. At this rate, he was going to either have to parade Nami around in a shirt with “Property of Trafalgar D. Water Law” printed in big, bold letters, or tattoo his jolly roger onto the woman.

Luckily, she wrinkled her nose at the offer. “Ew, after you’ve been sweating in it all day? No thanks! Actually, when was the last time that thing was washed? I’m pretty sure that food stain’s at least a week old.”

The rubber man pouted. “I wouldn’t get stains on it if you let me eat shirtless.”

“You also wouldn’t get stains if you didn’t eat like a barbarian!”

“Ace ate shirtless all the time!”

“Your brother did everything shirtless!”

As his rival and the navigator argued, Law leaned against the ship’s railing, settling in to enjoy the show. Maybe he should cut Luffy some slack. Nami didn’t give her loyalty lightly; Straw Hat was her captain, hard-won through determination and blood. Law would never be able to compete with that. But despite that bond and history, Nami chose the dark doctor as a bedmate and was satisfied enough to consent to being his woman. Perhaps that knowledge was why, when Luffy grabbed her in a bear hug, plopping his hat onto her head with a joyous laugh, Law didn’t feel the rage he had before.

Or maybe he was just more forgiving because she was still wearing his shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to relate a bit to a Luffy & Nami friendship fic I plan to publish later, so keep an eye out for that, especially since it won't be berift of LawNa goodness.


	4. Examination

“Ummm, Tora-o-kun, you know you don’t have to be here, right?”

Glowering, Law crossed his arms as he sat on Chopper’s desk. Everything in the infirmary was built to accommodate the smaller doctor’s size, making the Surgeon of Death appear even more lanky and intimidating. “I’m just making sure Tony-ya does his job right.”

The small reindeer looked offended while Nami frowned. “Ok, first of all, I just rolled my ankle, so I’m pretty sure a doctor isn’t even necessary, but secondly, Chopper’s been treating me literally since I met him. I think he can be trusted with my health.”

“You don’t know it’s just a rolled ankle because you’re not a doctor, Nami-ya. There could be hairline fractures neither of you can feel through the swelling. It’s better to let me cut the leg open so I can get a direct look at the bone. It’s much easier to see if anything’s broken when there’s no skin or muscle in the way.” He scoffed at their twin looks of horror. It was a simple, efficient procedure he did on his own crew all the time. Honestly, they were acting like he suggested amputation.

“That is completely unnecessary!” Chopper cried. “I don’t care if your powers make it easier; I can check Nami’s leg without cutting it open!”

“See? Chopper knows what he’s talking about! Now shoo!”

“And what if I’m right and there is a break? You could be walking across the deck, every step putting more and more pressure on those miniscule cracks in your bone, when suddenly your femur shatters underneath you. Tony-ya’s talented in pharmacology and internal medicine, but I doubt he has the surgical skills to repair something like that. Plus, I’ve been studying medicine for far longer. I should be the one examining you.”

Brown eyes narrowed at his flippant remarks. “Yeah, well, your bedside manner sucks compared to his.”

“You’ve never complained about it before,” he replied with a sultry smile. “Last time I even wore the lab coat with no shirt like you asked; isn’t that putting my patient’s needs first?”

Despite the blush staining her cheeks, she stood her ground. She was not going to let him seduce her to his side. Not this time, at least. “Chopper is more than capable of taking care of me without you hovering like some ominous specter of doom. Right, Chopper?”

Looking nervously between the two, the blue-nosed doctor squeaked, “Yes?”

“Checking for breaks and sprains require skilled hands, not hooves. He could easily cause more harm than good.”

This time, the smaller doctor glared, though it wouldn’t have much effect on a skittish mouse, much less the jaded pirate captain. “I’m perfectly proficient in this form, but if you’re that worried…” He shifted into his more human-like form, holding up his furry hands and wiggling his fingers.

Law just scoffed distastefully at his larger, burlier physique. “Color me unimpressed. Now you’re more likely to crush her ankle than examine it. Slender, more fragile bones like Nami-ya’s require a delicate touch.”

“You sound a lot like Sanji right now. Did the two of you switch bodies?”

“And give him the opportunity to feel up my woman? I’d kill him at the mere suggestion. Clearly, your logic and reasoning skills need work, too. Unless you’re delirious from the heat? If that’s the case, go lay down while I check on Nami-ya’s ankle. I can’t in good conscience allow her to be treated by someone not at peak mental capacity.”

“Says the insomniac,” Chopper grumbled under his breath, cowering as the full force of Law’s piercing glare fell on him.

“Says the doctor who’s been practicing medicine longer than you’ve been alive.”

“Ok, seriously, quit being an ass to Chopper,” Nami snapped. She really should have stepped in sooner, but she was hoping Law would come to his senses, especially since Chopper had actually managed to stand up for himself. “He’s an excellent doctor and my friend, and I won’t have you belittling him like this.”

“Shut up! I don’t need your help!” the reindeer replied even as he beamed at her praise.

Gold eyes rolled up to the ceiling in exasperation. “Fine, he’s not a bad doctor, but I’m still better.”

Stubbornly crossing her arms, she said, “Well, Chopper’s more cuddly than you are.”

“The hell does that have to do with anything?”

“Being more cuddly and approachable means that people actually want to be under his care. Compare a cute, fuzzy reindeer to a creepy insomniac with ‘DEATH’ tattooed on his fingers who insists on cutting people open at the drop of a hat, and which one do you think I’d rather have treating my injuries?” she huffed.

Though he should be pissed, Law couldn’t help but smirk seductively. She was damn cute when she back-talked him, tempting him to pin her down and tease her until she submitted. Getting up from the desk, he crossed the room in a few easy strides, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his hungry gaze. “Bet he can’t kiss them better like I can.”

“I’ve never understood that,” Chopper cut in, scratching his chin as he shifted back down into his default form. “It’s a placebo effect at best, and mainly just risks exposing the wound to the bacteria in your mouth.”

Annoyed, Law glowered at him. He really did respect his fellow doctor, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t ticking him off. Had it been Zoro or Sanji that had been hurt, he’d be giving Chopper his full support, perhaps even tossing in a few threats to better convince them to comply to the reindeer’s commands. But this was Nami; when it came to the welfare of the few people he cared about, Law was a total control-freak. Unless he was the one taking care of them, his thoughts would spiral with all the worst-case scenarios, making him an anxious, irritable pain in the ass. The Surgeon of Death knew it was completely irrational, but his woman was injured, and the cotton candy lover was preventing him from checking her over and assuring his restless mind that she was fine. “Well, if you don’t know that, I’m not sure you’re qualified to examine Nami-ya,” he sneered petulantly. “You do realize that if your prognosis is wrong and she isn’t given proper treatment, she could end up crippled? And if that happens, she’ll be easy pickings for the Marines or Kaidou’s men if she’s attacked. Are you willing to risk that, Tony-ya?”

The blue-nosed doctor stared at the floor, unable to come up with a good response to the blunt, cutting remarks. Of course he knew the risks of a misdiagnosis; it was a fear that haunted him every time he had to patch up or examine someone. The wrong dosage of medicine administered, a missed crack in the bone, mistaking a poisonous mushroom for one that could cure all diseases; it could all spell doom for his precious _nakama_.

Cold, earnest fury pumped through Nami’s veins at Chopper’s defeated expression. She knew Law was a massive worrywart and wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt her friend, but one more word out of him and she’d throw him straight into the sea. How could anyone possibly pick on such a cute little creature, especially when he was just trying to help?

Resisting the urge to cuddle the dejected reindeer and punch her lover, she instead forced a gentle smile towards the smaller doctor. “Chopper, would you be a dear and bring me my slippers from my cabin? I probably shouldn’t walk around in my high heels for a bit, no matter the prognosis.”

Despite knowing this was just an excuse to get him out of the room so Nami could have a private word with her overbearing lover, Chopper agreed, more than happy to put some distance between him and Law so he could regroup. The last thing he needed was to show weakness in front of the skilled surgeon; that would only cast further doubt on his skills.

The moment the reindeer was out of the room, Nami turned and grabbed her lover’s shirt, yanking him down so he was inches from her face. “Law,” she whispered harshly, “you _will_ be nice to Chopper! Even if he hadn’t saved the life of every member of this crew at least once, that is no way to talk to someone who’s been screwing up the courage to ask you for some mentorship.”

Guilt mixed with surprise in the surgeon’s expression. “He has?”

“Yes! He’s a great doctor, but he’s young and hasn’t had a proper mentor since he left Drum Island. If he plans on accomplishing his dream, he has to learn as much as possible about every type of medicine, and why not learn from the best? Hell, if he plans on keeping the idiots on this crew alive, he needs to improve his surgical skills! I even told him you’d be willing to do it, or at least let him sit in on some of your surgeries, but you being such an ass is completely killing his confidence!”

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyes narrowed further, though her anger seemed to diminish. “Don’t apologize to me; apologize to Chopper, or else I’m going to tell Zoro and Luffy you’ve been bullying him. Or worse; Robin.”

Law shuddered. Normally, he wouldn’t consider her sicing her crew on him much of a threat, though he knew for a fact that Luffy was scarily protective of his friends, and the swordsman seemed to have a soft spot for the reindeer. He could probably handle the pair if they decided to attack him. Robin however…

Shoulders slumping, he rested his forehead against her bright orange hair, inhaling the mikan scent that never failed to calm him. Loathe as he was to admit it, Nami was right; he was being an ass, and Chopper deserved his respect as a fellow doctor. “Alright, I will, and he’s more than welcome to shadow me on some examinations and surgeries.”

The gentle peck she rewarded him with made his lips turn up in a slight smile. “You’re such a softie, Tora-o-kun. I didn’t even have to dress up as a nurse to convince you.”

Eyes snapping open, he stared at her, mouth agape. “Wait, I could have gotten that out of the deal? I take it back; no mentorship unless I get my naughty nurse.”

Smiling like the cat that ate the canary, she giggled, “Too late; you already gave your word.” She was glad she didn’t have to give up that particular bargaining chip; Law was a lot easier to manipulate once she found out he was really into the sexy nurse fantasy. He’d even bought her the uniform, but she was saving it for a special occasion; most likely as a reward for saving her life, or possibly getting her an entire shipload of treasure.

Growling, his tattooed hand teasingly ran up and down her thigh. “That’s hardly fair; I wear the lab coat for you all the time.”

“That’s because if someone walks in on you in the coat, no one bats an eye. I get caught in that uniform and everyone knows what kind of kinky shit you’re into.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to do it somewhere we won’t get caught.”

Mirroring his devilish grin, she slowly nibbled along the sharp line of his jaw. “Or you’re going to have to do something to earn it.”

“Mentoring Tony-ya isn’t enough?”

“Not by a long shot.”

Before Law could be tempted to “convince” her, there was a timid knock at the door, coaxing the couple to break away. The last thing they needed was for Chopper to see anything inappropriate in his own infirmary. The door opened, the young doctor looking through to check it was safe, though notably, he was peeking the wrong way.

Assured he wasn’t walking in on one of the couple’s make-out sessions, the small doctor walked in, not making eye contact with the tattooed surgeon as he handed Nami her fuzzy bedroom slippers.

Guilt gnawed at Law’s stomach. Nami was right; he shouldn’t be so hard on Chopper. Not just so Robin wouldn’t tear him to pieces; the blue-nosed reindeer had the potential to revolutionize medicine, and it would be a shame if all that was wasted because he didn’t have the right training.

And damn it, he looked like a miserable stuffed animal when he was sad. Even Law wasn’t that heartless.

“Tony-ya?”

“Yeah?”

Awkwardly, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Go ahead and check Nami-ya’s ankle. You’re right; surgery is completely superfluous unless you actually feel a break. Even then, it’s your call if she needs it. This is your infirmary, so I should respect your authority. Mugiwara-ya wouldn’t have asked you to join his crew if your skills weren’t up to scratch.”

Though the cloud of misery that hovered over his head started to dissipate, Chopper’s smile was more self-deprecating than anything else. “Luffy only asked me to join because I’m a monster, and Sanji thought I was emergency food.”

Ok, Law was going to have a serious talk with the cook later. For starters, if you’re going to eat your crew, doctors and navigators were, on principle, off-limits, even if they weren’t human. Better to start with less essential positions. “If Black Leg-ya even thinks about cooking you, I’ll transplant his mind into the ugliest person I can find. I trust you with Nami’s care. You’re a great doctor; the fact that Zoro-ya is still alive is a testament to that.”

“Shut up! An idiot like you doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Chopper gushed, dancing about as stars twinkled in his eyes.

“Then I suppose you wouldn’t want to assist me in surgery sometime?” he asked with a smirk, chuckling when Nami smacked his leg.

“What? No! I mean, yes! I’d love to assist you! I mean, if that’s ok…” he replied anxiously.

“Excellent. Of course, we’ll need a patient. Perhaps we’ll get lucky and Zoro-ya and Black Leg-ya will injure themselves in their next argument.”

“That’s not lucky!”

“Then we’ll just break into a hospital on the next island we land on and practice on the patients there.”

“That’s insane!”

He shrugged. “I do it all the time. Honestly, it works out for everyone; the hospital gets free surgeries, the patients get excellent treatment, I get extra practice while restocking my supplies, and my crew isn’t constantly acting as my guinea pigs. Marine bases are the best, though; they’ve got the most advanced medical equipment to play with, plus plenty of wounded men in need of fixing up whose deaths you won’t feel guilty over if something goes wrong.”

Chopper looked at Nami in horror. “He’s serious, isn’t he?”

Rubbing her temples and wondering if she should have encouraged her friend to find a less sadistic mentor, she sighed, “As the plague.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this; I'm trying to figure out what should happen in the last chapter, and comments help me feel like I'm not just screaming into the void. It's the trouble with writing for a rarepair, unfortunately.


	5. Protect

For once, Law couldn’t blame Luffy for the trouble they were in. The Marine warship stumbling upon them was just bad luck, and the reckless Straw Hat captain hadn’t even had time to provoke them before they’d decided to attack the two pirate crews. A well-placed cannonball had damaged the _Polar Tang’s_ propeller, preventing the Heart Pirates from diving and making any escapes or sneak attacks, so they’d had no choice but to be drawn into the fray. Most of the crew was aiding the Straw Hats against the sailors swarming onto the smaller pirate ships while Law and Jean Bart had boarded the warship to assist Luffy, Zoro, and Nami.

The Rear-Admiral leading the charge wasn’t exactly a powerhouse, but his Haki skills, plus the overwhelming number of fighters still on deck, had been enough to keep Law on his toes. Much as Luffy had clearly wanted to take on the bastard that had ordered the attack, he’d passed that honor onto the older captain, seeing as his was the ship that got damaged, instead taking out his aggression on the lower-ranked officers trying to interfere with the fight.

Meanwhile, Nami, Jean Bart, and Zoro were occupied with the rest of the grunts. It had infuriated Law that his woman had been brought along, but logically, he understood why; with Robin occupied with the hoard of troops attacking their ship, the navigator was the best choice for sneaking into the belly of the warship and taking down the cannons.

Out of the corner of his eye, Law saw Nami locked in combat with a Marine, frantically blocking his sword-swipes with her staff, unable to pull away long enough to use one of her weather techniques. Unfortunately, she was also so focused on her opponent that she didn’t notice the second Marine come up behind her, sword raised high to cut her down.

“Nami-ya!” he shouted in warning, desperately trying to block the Rear-Admiral’s heavy strikes while activating his _Room_. For a moment, all he could see was the fiery woman slumped over like Corazon had been, bloody and pale; another person he cared for dead because he couldn’t save them.

Just as the little ring formed in his hand, Nami was tackled to the floor by Zoro, confusing her opponents enough that they ended up attacking each other, swords buried deep in the flesh of their comrades.

“You ok, witch?” Zoro asked, his body poised above hers as a shield against any unexpected attacks as he briefly checked her over.

A relieved smile curved her lips. “I’m fine. Nice save.”

“Well, someone has to keep you alive,” he replied with a smirk, pulling her to her feet. “Maybe you could knock a few bellis off my debt as thanks.”

In response, she launched a gust of wind that knocked back several Marines charging them, two even falling over the railing into the sea. “Nah, I think we’re even now,” she winked.

“Greedy witch,” he grumbled before racing off to take down the remaining fighters, swords whirling about, slicing their enemies to ribbons. “Just don’t get yourself killed!” Nami stuck out her tongue in response, using her Mirage Tempo technique to render herself invisible so she could sneak inside and take down the gunners.

Seeing she was out of immediate harm’s way Law refocused his energies, levitating his opponent into the air before slamming him into the ship’s mast, gaining a hint of pleasure from the pained cry he let out. Next, a pair of cutlasses, taken from the dead men who’d attacked the beautiful navigator, were shoved through the Rear-Admiral’s shoulders to pin him to the thick wood like a frog ready for dissection. It wasn’t quite enough for him, though. Law had nearly had to watch his lover be struck down; experience the same pain he’d gone through with Cora-san. In other words, he wanted to make someone _hurt_.

“ _Mes_.”

The horrified scream as the Navy officer watched Law rip his heart from his chest gave the dark doctor some sick satisfaction. Silently, he stood there, waiting for the Marine’s cries to die down before crouching to meet his eyes. “Your men could have killed my woman,” he murmured, just loud enough for his victim to hear. “That would have broken my heart. Do you know how that feels? Let me show you.”

Blood and chunks of viscera leaked through his fingers as he slowly crushed the delicate organ in his bare hand, gold eyes locked on the agonized face of the Rear-Admiral whose men had tried to slay the most important woman in his life. Killing wasn’t usually his style, taking more pleasure in the trauma and humiliation his abilities brought to his victims, but he refused to take any chances. Mercy was far too likely to bite him in the ass, and he refused to risk Nami’s life by letting the Rear-Admiral come after them again someday.

The world was cruel and unforgiving and had already taken too much from him. Nami would not be next.

Rage slightly cooled, he turned to find Luffy, Zoro, and Jean Bart had finished off the rest of the Marines. The battle over, he started making his way towards the ship’s entrance, fully intending on catching up with the navigator and ensuring she’d be safe. He didn’t consider her helpless by any means, but she was part of “The Weakling Trio” for a reason and all he could picture was her being cut down, this time without Zoro or himself to save her. Before he even got to the door, however, the sound of cannon fire had stopped, rendering the air eerily still.

“Sounds like Miss Nami’s taken down the gunners,” Jean Bart said in relief.

Glancing over to their own ships, Zoro commented, “Those boarding parties are under control, too.” He raised an eyebrow at the state of the Rear-Admiral, eye flickering between his empty chest and the blood slowly dripping from Law’s hand. “I didn’t see much of your fight; that guy give you a lot of trouble?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” the doctor replied tersely, staring down the swordsman. He was in his direct path to the door, and Law couldn’t help but imagine he was intentionally blocking him.

Nami had told him about the debt she held over her crewmate’s head, the interest added every day basically ensuring he’d owe her money for the rest of his life. It was a source of constant grief for the swordsman, often used to blackmail him into being her pack mule or chore boy.

Blood turning to ice, Law’s hand clenched around his nodachi as his paranoid mind whispered, _What if he wants her to die?_

It made a sick sort of sense. It would be incredibly easy for Zoro to escape his debt if Nami was killed in battle. He’d let her go alone into the ship, after all; was he hoping she’d be slain, allowing him to keep his hands clean and not risk the wrath of their companions?

Zoro could feel the tension radiating from the tall captain, letting his own hand rest on his katanas in preparation. Maybe it was just leftover adrenaline from the fight, but Law was looking at him like he was contemplating using his heart as a stress ball. “Might want to wash your hands before the witch sees you, then; doubt you’ll be getting a victory kiss if you’re covered in blood and guts. She’s picky like that.”

Luffy nodded his head emphatically. “Yeah, Tora-o; she won’t even hug us if we’re all sweaty!”

Gold eyes never left their target. “I’m willing to get my hands dirty if it means Nami-ya is safe. I’m going to go check on her. For all we know, she’s been ambushed because you let her go alone. Invisible or not, running into a Navy warship alone is suicidal.”

The swordsman’s eye narrowed at the accusation as his shoulders tensed. “I don’t like it, either, but she says I’m not allowed to go on stealth missions with her. Something about not wanting to get distracted because I’ve gotten myself lost; I wasn’t listening.”

“Perhaps if you did listen, you wouldn’t get lost so much, Zoro-ya. Get out of my way.”

“Watch your tone, Trafalgar; I get she’s your girlfriend, but just because Nami’s always barking orders at me doesn’t mean you can, too.”

“I’ll use whatever tone I want when someone’s preventing me from protecting my woman. Some of us have a vested interest in keeping her alive,” he countered, stalking over until there was hardly a foot of space between the two swordsmen. Looking down at the green-haired man, he growled, “Now step aside. I imagine three-sword style would be difficult to do without hands.”

The faint scrape of Zoro’s thumb flicking out a katana cut through the tension. “That a threat?”

“Why don’t you just scan the ship, Captain?” Jean Bart chimed in, glancing between the two Supernovas squaring off. “If Miss Nami’s in trouble, that’ll tell you exactly where she is and you can get her out of there, no problem. Storming down there without a plan could just get you both killed.”

“He doesn’t have to,” Luffy replied. “She’s fine. I used Haki a minute ago and she’s the only conscious person I sense on the ship.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Law growled as Zoro put away his sword, relief briefly crossing the green-haired swordsman’s face at the confirmation that he hadn’t sent his _nakama_ off to her death.

“Because Sanji said girls find it romantic when guys fight over them or rush in to save them. I thought I was doing you a favor.” He stuck out his tongue in disgust. “Plus, I was hoping you’d get your kissing over with down there so I wouldn’t find you in the cargo hold again.”

Vein throbbing on his forehead, the slam of a door kept Law from strangling his ally as Nami returned topside, belli signs in her eyes.

“They’ve got so much treasure on board!” she cheered.

“Awesome!” Luffy shouted, toothy grin wide.

Zoro rolled his eye, but there was a hint of affection in his smirk as he relaxed his stance. “At least something good came from this fiasco.”

“You know what that means! It’s time to have a party!”

Nami chuckled at her captain’s enthusiasm before turning to Law, arms opening to embrace him before she spotted the drying blood on his hands. Plush lips turned down in concern as she studied the strain in his face. He could tell she wanted to ask if he was alright, but thought better of it, knowing she wouldn’t get a straight answer with an audience. “You need to get cleaned up. Honestly, you all do; I’m not letting any of you touch my precious treasure when you’re this gross!”

“It doesn’t matter that much,” Jean Bart joked gruffly, trying to ease the last of the tension in the air. “Why do you think gold’s called ‘filthy lucre?’”

“You take that back! I polish that lucre every day until it shines!”

“She does. It’s weird,” Luffy laughed.

“It is not!”

“Yes, it is, but it’s to be expected from a money-grubbing witch like you,” Zoro said, chuckling as she slapped his chest indignantly. He got his revenge by wrapping his sweaty arms around her, highly amused by her protests that he stank which only grew louder when Luffy shouted “Group hug!” and trapped them both in a crushing embrace.

Silent as stone, Law expanded his _Room_ and teleported himself down onto his ship, ignoring Luffy’s questioning call. He needed to get cleaned up, but more importantly, he needed to regain his composure. After that, he could steal Nami away and hopefully get that horrible image of her pale and lifeless body out of his head. Maybe it that would dissuade him from the vivid murder fantasies he was coming up with for Zoro.

XXX

Unfortunately, the opportunity for alone time with Nami didn’t come up for the rest of the day. He’d spent nearly an hour in the shower scrubbing the blood out from under his nails, all while reminding himself that Nami was safe and Zoro didn’t deserve to be dismembered. Once he was out, he’d gone to check on the damage to his sub, which was worse than he’d assumed; the propeller was a mess and there was plenty of exterior damage, which was extremely risky when your vessel needs to withstand heavy pressure deep under the ocean. Luckily Franky was willing to help them fix it, saying he’d make them a “SUPER propeller” right away. Then he’d helped Chopper attend to the wounded. No one had died and nothing was life-threatening, but his surgical skills had been necessary for a few of his men, Bepo included. The longest he’d seen Nami was when they’d been splitting the treasure, which hadn’t taken more than an hour due to her unexpectedly softball haggling and his own terse responses.

After that had been the party preparations, and Law was forced to admit at this point he was avoiding her. It wasn’t that he wanted to, but the frustrations of the day just kept growing, and he had no wish to accidentally take it out on his lover. She seemed to understand he needed space and didn’t push it, though she’d given him a look saying she expected a full explanation later. While her consideration was appreciated, it was counteracted by Zoro’s constant presence at her side, obeying her demands without so much as a grumble, only pausing to meet Law’s heated glare.

By the time the party started, Law had exiled himself to the outskirts of the celebration, taking a seat by the deck’s railing and nursing an ale. Throughout the night, however, his eyes never left Nami. His woman was currently matching her green-haired companion drink for drink, laughing merrily as any Heart Pirate foolish enough to join them inevitably gave up or passed out. They were certainly in good spirits, Zoro pulling her into a clumsy dance as Brook began playing a lively tune on his violin, the smirk on his face showing it was mostly to annoy the fuming cook.

Though the glare Zoro shot him said Sanji wasn’t the only one he intended to piss off.

Hand gripping his tankard’s handle tightly, Law matched his scowl from where he sat, silently wondering if Nami would be all that mad if he stole the swordsman’s liver. He’d give it back eventually.

“You seem rather anti-social tonight, Law-san,” Robin said, claiming the spot next to him. She’d been tending to Bepo most of the night, the polar bear having literally taken a bullet for her. The surgery to remove it had been a success, his thick flesh and fur ensuring it hadn’t damaged any major organs, but he’d seemed to enjoy holding her attention so Penguin and Shachi couldn’t flirt with her. Had he been in a better mood, Law would have found it all highly amusing.

“Most would argue I’m normally like this,” he replied bluntly, taking another gulp of ale.

“Perhaps, but you’ve shown you can relax when the mood suits you. Particularly when our navigator is in such high spirits. I heard she even gave you a decent share of the treasure.”

“Thirty percent, plus first dibs on stripping the warship for parts to repair the damage my submarine endured. She didn’t even tell Robo-ya to charge me any installation fees.”

“Impressive. Anyone else would have been lucky to get ten percent, and by pure coincidence, that amount would be the exact cost for salvaging rights.” A secretive smile curved her lips. “Just don’t be surprised if she demands you take her shopping. Our clever girl always knows how to get her money’s worth.”

“Is that why she keeps Zoro-ya in debt?” he asked, unable to keep the hint of bitterness from his voice.

Though it didn’t show on her face past a raised eyebrow, Robin was quite surprised by his tone. “Honestly, I think she knows he’ll never be able to pay her back; it’s more like an old joke between friends.”

“Or she just wants to ensure she’ll always have a bodyguard.”

“Zoro doesn’t owe the rest of us money, yet we can always count on him to save us in a pinch. Besides, generally, one pays a person to protect them, not the other way around.” She chuckled lightly. “Nami was right; you do get jealous over silly things.”

He grunted, not bothering to argue. He didn’t use to get jealous so easily, but then again, he usually didn’t bother with long-term relationships. He cared about Nami, and thus everything and everyone had begun looking like a threat to him, just waiting to take her away. For the most part, he’d learned to get over it, or at least not be so obvious, but tonight, he couldn’t seem to get past his anger towards her first mate.

She followed his gaze to where he was glaring holes in the duo as they chinked tankards with Jean Bart. “If it helps, I doubt those two see each other as anything but brother and sister.”

“It’s not that,” he grumbled. At first, he’d wondered if the swordsman harbored feelings for Nami; objectively, he was one of the better-looking members of the crew and had known her longest after Luffy. He was apathetic and gruff but often the first one to come to her aid, even if he didn’t have hearts in his eyes like Sanji did. However, after careful observation he’d realized that Zoro definitely didn’t see her that way. Not once had Law caught him looking at her bikini-clad chest or jean-clad ass, gorgeous as they were. He never seemed to fall for her seductive manipulations, either, and Nami had told him Zoro was the only one in Alabasta that hadn’t peeked on her in the baths. If anything, Law trusted him the most.

Or at least, he had before that morning.

“If Nami-ya dies, his debt would be cleared. What real incentive does he have to protect her? I doubt he’d actively harm her, but it would be so convenient if—”

Law didn’t get the chance to finish that thought as a feminine hand blossomed from his shoulder, long fingers grabbing his ear and twisting it hard.

“Law-san, I respect that you’re worried and thus not thinking rationally, but I will not allow you to speak ill of my crew like that,” she said, eyes hard as the smile dropped from her face. “Zoro would never even consider such a thing; despite their differences, Nami is his friend and he’s far too honorable to even consider betraying her.” Releasing his ear, she gave him a stern look. “Now, why are you really mad at him?”

Cheeks flushed with pain and embarrassment, he knew she’d see through any lie he tried to spin and had no wish to test her patience further. He’d seen her snap the necks of a dozen men at once, and his powers wouldn’t be much help escaping limbs sprouting from his own body. Checking his earlobe to be sure she hadn’t ripped off his gold hoops in her aggression, he finally grumbled, “I should have been the one to save her, but he was there before I could even activate my _Room_.”

“Then you’d rather she be killed than rescued by someone else?”

“Of course not!” he snapped. “I’m grateful he had her back, but she’s my woman, so it’s my responsibility to keep her safe.”

Combing her fingers through her black hair, Robin regarded him thoughtfully. “Surely you’re aware that you can’t always protect her? You’re on different crews, after all.”

“You think I don’t know that?” he growled, turning to her with eyes bright with rage and fear. Again, he envisioned Nami’s mutilated corpse, her skin a sickly gray, hair mottled with blood. “You think I don’t have nightmares about finding out she’s been captured and executed, knowing there’s nothing I could have done because I was too far away? You think I don’t have a minor heart attack every time I open the paper and read about the trouble you’ve all gotten into? You think it’s a _coincidence_ how often I run into you?”

Chin resting in an open palm, her smile was knowing yet sympathetic, almost motherly. “Of course not. I have such dreams myself, and I sleep right next to her. But we can’t protect her from everything. Quite frankly, even if you locked her up in your quarters, shackled to your bed, there’s still no guarantee that she’d be safe. You’re a pirate, too, and have more than your share of enemies. A wayward cannonball could breech the hull and drown her, or a marine could infiltrate your crew and slit her throat. Even mundane things can be deadly; a slip in the shower, a falling bookcase, or just swallowing food wrong can lead to a grizzly end.”

“I’m so glad we’ve had this talk, Nico-ya. It really put my fears to rest,” he said sarcastically.

Completely ignoring his tone, she continued, “Personally, I’ve found myself sleeping more easily since you two began your relationship. It’s quite comforting knowing that, should anything happen to us, there’s someone out there who would gladly protect our navigator. Especially a powerful captain with exemplary medical skills.”

Law sighed. He understood what she was saying; it was better to be grateful that Nami had more than one champion. Zoro had simply reacted on instinct, not willing to take the chance that the navigator’s lover would be able to remove her from harm’s way when he had his hands full with a Rear-Admiral. “And I do appreciate that she has her crew to protect her, but if Zoro’s so intent on being her knight in shining armor, why didn’t he follow her into the warship? One woman alone—”

“—Stood a far better chance at taking out those Navy gunners than if she’d had a cumbersome, perpetually lost swordsman to babysit. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, Law-san, and Nami’s lie in using her wits and wiles to take her opponents by surprise. Beyond that, in such close quarters, her lightning techniques would be just as risky to her allies as her enemies. She and Zoro have argued about this quite frequently and I can assure you, he always ends up worrying.”

Thinking it over, he supposed Robin had a point. There was no doubt Nami was better suited to sabotaging the cannons and taking down the gunners where there was little chance of friendly fire, and Zoro, for all his good intentions, would likely wander off and get himself lost, ruining any of her carefully thought-out plans. It would certainly explain why the swordsman had gotten so defensive; he’d been just as anxious and Law’s accusations had hit a nerve.

“I suppose he and I should call a truce.” There was a bottle of sake in his room he’d been saving for a special occasion, but he supposed he could use it as a peace offering instead. It was worth it if it ensured his fellow Supernova’s continued protection. “Fighting when we have the same goal will do nothing but strain the alliance.”

“I agree. I wonder if swordsmen in general just have complexes that make them incapable of addressing their emotions while perpetually feeling as if they must be everyone’s hero.”

He snorted but conceded her point. It was no wonder Nami often considered the older woman her confidant; she certainly knew how to lay on brutal truths with an almost motherly calm. He made a mental note to remain on her good side. Not only could she snap his neck at any moment, but if she decided that the Surgeon of Death was unworthy of the Cat Thief’s affections, Nami would take her opinions to heart.

The click of heels against the wooden floor broke his mind from such musings, looking up to find the beautiful cartographer purposefully making her way to her lover, the way her hips swayed both enticing and dangerous.

“I’ll give you two some time to talk,” Robin chuckled, getting to her feet and strolling over to Shachi and Penguin, both of whom immediately began fighting over who would get to dance with her first.

He didn’t get to see which one was victorious, though, as his attention was immediately diverted to the navigator straddling his lap, fingers burying themselves in his hair as she captured his lips in a fierce kiss. He welcomed her tongue into his mouth, playfully battling for dominance as he pressed her soft curves flush against his taut muscles. Sharp ale and sweet mikans lingered on her lips and he groaned as he tasted them, running his fingers along her spine in the way he knew she liked, smirking as she arched at his touch. Eventually they were forced to break for air, Law’s hands sliding to her hips to anchor her against him.

“What was that for?” he asked breathlessly.

Hand running through her copper locks in a way that never failed to set fire to his blood, she rolled her eyes. “You had that stupid look on your face that you get when you’re irrationally jealous. I figured I’d nip it in the bud before I have to deal with another dick-measuring competition.” She sighed, “Plus, Jean Bart told me you and Zoro nearly went at it. Guess that explains why he’s being so chummy; I thought he was just trying to get me to lower his debt.”

Annoyed as he was that one of his crewmembers had gone behind his back, Law couldn’t bring himself to get too mad. At least, not when it resulted in Nami shirking the swordsman’s company for his. “I’m sure he was just enjoying pissing me off.”

Her fingers trailed over his chest tattoos the way she knew he liked, smirking at his satisfied purr. “Yeah, probably, but I think he’s starting to feel a little guilty about it. You’ve been in a bad mood all day, and he knows he wasn’t helping. He insisted I come over here and wipe that frown off your face before you brought the whole mood down.”

“You needed him to tell you that?”

“No, but if even Zoro’s saying that, you know it’s bad. He said you were freaking out about me going into the warship alone,” she said with an annoyed frown.

Arms wrapping around her waist, he sighed, “I was, but Nico-ya talked some sense into me. I’m glad you have him watching your back. I just…I can’t help but be paranoid about losing you. The last person I cared about was Cora-san, and he—”

A soft fingertip against his lips halted his explanation. Law kissed it lightly before nibbling the flesh, smirking at the way she bit her own lip in response.

“I know; I worry about you, too,” she whispered, forehead pressing to his. “We’ve both had important people stolen from us, and that’s not a wound that heals easily. It makes us greedy, jealous worrywarts that assume the whole world is out to destroy what little happiness we have left. But I promise to be careful, because I refuse to die and leave you alone again. Sound good?”

In lieu of a response he pulled her in for another kiss, declaring without words that he’d do the same. He’d been too young and weak to save Corazon, but he was stronger now, and even when he wasn’t around, they both had crews looking out for them. As much as the Straw Hats drove him crazy, he was grateful for their presence in his woman’s life.

When he finally released her lips he took the time to proudly take in her flushed cheeks and dilated pupils. “It seems my mood’s drastically improved. If you want, you can go back to drinking with Zoro-ya.”

She rolled her hips against him, smirking at his heady groan. “Are you saying you don’t want me to stay and kiss you senseless?”

A pleased grin spread across his face, gold eyes darkening with lust. “I never said that.”

“Good, because now that you’re not covered in blood and guts, I’ve been _aching_ for the chance to pin you down and ride you as thanks for helping us fight off those Marines and getting me all that treasure.”

“And convince me to spend my share on your next shopping trip?”

She smiled at him, warm and mischievous and very much alive, and Law burned it into his memory, banishing the visions of her death. “Well, I could use some new clothes.”

“I’d rather keep you naked,” he growled playfully, nipping at her throat as he summoned his _Room_ , transporting them into his quarters. Neither cared that they’d miss the rest of the party; Nami was eager to get her money’s worth, and Law was determined to make up for the time he’d wasted that afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last planned chapter, though maybe someday I'll come up with some more instances. I'd planned on keeping this whole thing mostly light-hearted, but Law's mopiness got away from me. Good thing we had Robin to talk some sense into him so Nami isn't constantly the one to deal with his man-pain, right?
> 
> Next thing I have planned is a two-shot that puts a lot of focus on Nami and Luffy's friendship, but with plenty of LawNa to boot, so stay tuned for that!


End file.
